Gaming system and method providing a class II bingo game with a player-selectable wild spot feature

Abstract

The gaming system and method of the present disclosure provide a Class II bingo game with a player-selectable wild spot feature. Generally, for a play of the Class II bingo game and for each player, the gaming system provides that player a bingo card and enables the player to affirmatively designate up to a designated quantity of spots of the bingo card as wild spots. The wild spots are guaranteed marks. The gaming system then draws bingo numbers until a game-winning pattern is marked on one of the players' bingo cards.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
       1. A Class II bingo system comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 determine a first Class II bingo card comprising a plurality of first bingo card spots, wherein each of the first bingo card spots is associated with a different bingo number of a pool of bingo numbers, and each of the first bingo card spots is associated with a different playing card of a simulated Class III card game associated with the first Class II bingo card, 
 randomly determine at least two of the first bingo card spots of the first Class II bingo card as potential wild spots, 
 independent of the determination of the first Class II bingo card, determine a second Class II bingo card comprising a plurality of second bingo card spots, wherein each of the second bingo card spots is associated with a different bingo number of the pool of bingo numbers, each of the second bingo card spots is associated with a different playing card of the simulated Class III card game, each of the second bingo card spots of the second Class II bingo card corresponds to one of the first bingo card spots of the first Class II bingo card, and when the second Class II bingo card is determined, none of the second bingo card spots of the second Class II bingo card are potential wild spots, 
 for each of any of the potential wild spots associated with any user held playing cards for the simulated Class III card game:
 designate that potential wild spot as a wild spot, 
 cause a display, by a display device, of a marking of that designated wild spot of the first Class II bingo card, 
 designate the second bingo card spot of the second Class II bingo card that corresponds to that designated wild spot of the first Class II bingo card as a wild spot, and 
 cause a display, by the display device, of a marking of the second bingo card spot of the second Class II bingo card that corresponds to that designated wild spot of the first Class II bingo card, 
 
 cause a display, by the display device, of a graphical user interface comprising a graphical depiction of a discarding of any playing cards of an initial hand of the simulated Class III card game that are not the user held playing cards for the simulated Class III card game, and 
 for each of any of the potential wild spots not associated with any user held playing cards for the simulated Class III card game, remove any bingo numbers associated with the playing card associated with that potential wild spot from the pool of bingo numbers for bingo number draws from the pool of bingo numbers. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The Class II bingo system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory device stores a plurality of further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a third Class II bingo card comprising a plurality of third bingo card spots, wherein each of the third bingo card spots is associated with a different bingo number of the pool of bingo numbers, each of the third bingo card spots is associated with a different playing card of the simulated Class III card game, each of the third bingo card spots of the third Class II bingo card corresponds to one of the first bingo card spots of the first Class II bingo card and when the third Class II bingo card is determined, none of the third bingo card spots of the third Class II bingo card are potential wild spots. 
     
     
       3. The Class II bingo system of  claim 2 , wherein the memory device stores a plurality of further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for each of any of the potential wild spots of the first Class II bingo card designated as a wild spot:
 designate the third bingo card spot of the third Class II bingo card that corresponds to that designated wild spot as a wild spot, 
 cause a display, by the display device, of a marking of the third bingo card spot of the third Class II bingo card that corresponds to that designated wild spot. 
 
     
     
       4. The Class II bingo system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory device stores a plurality of further instructions that, when executed by the processor responsive to the marked spots of one of any of the Class II bingo cards forming an interim pattern, cause the processor to determine an interim award. 
     
     
       5. The Class II bingo system of  claim 4 , wherein the interim pattern is formable with the marked spots of the Class II bingo card within a designated quantity of marks of the Class II bingo card. 
     
     
       6. The Class II bingo system of  claim 5 , wherein the memory device stores a plurality of further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to randomly determine a quantity of the first bingo card spots of the first Class II bingo card as the potential wild spots. 
     
     
       7. The Class II bingo system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory device stores a plurality of further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine any award associated with each Class II bingo card. 
     
     
       8. The Class II bingo system of  claim 1 , wherein the user held playing cards are based on a graphical depiction of the initial hand of the simulated Class III card game comprising the playing cards associated with the potential wild spots and which of the playing cards to hold in association with the simulated Class III card game. 
     
     
       9. A method of operating a Class II bingo system, the method comprising:
 determining, by a processor, a first Class II bingo card comprising a plurality of first bingo card spots, wherein each of the first bingo card spots is associated with a different bingo number of a pool of bingo numbers, and each of the first bingo card spots is associated with a different playing card of a simulated Class III card game associated with the first Class II bingo card, 
 randomly determining, by the processor, at least two of the first bingo card spots of the first Class II bingo card as potential wild spots, 
 independent of the determination of the first Class II bingo card, determining, by the processor, a second Class II bingo card comprising a plurality of second bingo card spots, wherein each of the second bingo card spots is associated with a different bingo number of the pool of bingo numbers, each of the second bingo card spots is associated with a different playing card of the simulated Class III card game, each of the second bingo card spots of the second Class II bingo card corresponds to one of the first bingo card spots of the first Class II bingo card, and when the second Class II bingo card is determined, none of the second bingo card spots of the second Class II bingo card are potential wild spots, and 
 for each of any of the potential wild spots associated with any user held playing cards for the simulated Class III card game:
 designating, by the processor, that potential wild spot as a wild spot, 
 displaying, by a display device, a marking of that designated wild spot of the first Class II bingo card, 
 designating, by the processor, the second bingo card spot of the second Class II bingo card that corresponds to that designated wild spot of the first Class II bingo card as a wild spot, and 
 displaying, by the display device, a marking of the second bingo card spot of the second Class II bingo card that corresponds to that designated wild spot of the first Class II bingo card, 
 
 displaying, by the display device, a graphical user interface comprising a graphical depiction of a discarding of any playing cards of an initial hand of the simulated Class III card game that are not the user held playing cards for the simulated Class III card game, and 
 for each of any of the potential wild spots not associated with any user held playing cards for the simulated Class III card game, removing, by the processor, any bingo numbers associated with the playing card associated with that potential wild spot from the pool of bingo numbers for bingo number draws from the pool of bingo numbers. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, determining, by the processor, a third Class II bingo card comprising a plurality of third bingo card spots, wherein each of the third bingo card spots is associated with a different bingo number of the pool of bingo numbers, each of the third bingo card spots is associated with a different playing card of the simulated Class III card game, each of the third bingo card spots of the third Class II bingo card corresponds to one of the first bingo card spots of the first Class II bingo card, and when the third Class II bingo card is determined, none of the third bingo card spots of the third Class II bingo card are potential wild spots. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising, for each of any of the potential wild spots of the first Class II bingo card designated as a wild spot:
 designate the third bingo card spot of the third Class II bingo card that corresponds to that designated wild spot as a wild spot, and 
 displaying, by the display device, a marking of the third bingo card spot of the third Class II bingo card that corresponds to that designated wild spot. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, responsive to the marked spots of one of any of the Class II bingo cards forming an interim pattern, determining, by the processor, an interim award. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the interim pattern is formable with the marked spots of the Class II bingo card within a designated quantity of marks of the Class II bingo card. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising randomly determining, by the processor, a quantity of the first bingo card spots of the first Class II bingo card as the potential wild spots. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising determining, by the processor, any award associated with each Class II bingo card. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the user held playing cards are based on a graphical depiction of the initial hand of the simulated Class III card game comprising the playing cards associated with the potential wild spots and which of the playing cards to hold in association with the simulated Class III card game.